Striking
Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), Non-Academic Staff
Union of Universities (NASU) and National Association of Academic Technologists
(NAAT), have called on the Federal Government to release N30billion to them as
a condition to calling off their industrial action.
The
unions had embarked on the industrial action following the failure of
government to honour the agreement reached with them.
The
demand was made by the National Vice President of SSANU, Mr Alfred Jimoh, after
a protest against the Federal Government’s refusal to negotiate with the unions
on the strike action. Addressing journalists at the Federal University of
Technology, Akure, Jimoh said if
government releases the N30billion, it would be added to the N4.6billion shared
among the three non-teaching staff.
“Government
should release more funds to take care of the arrears of the earned allowance
of the three non-teaching staff of universities and commence the immediate implementation
of the allowances to forestall further accumulation of the arrears”, the union
leader said. While accusing government of using divide and rule system among
the universities workers, Jimoh declared that the ongoing strike would be total
until government responds to their demands.
He
noted that the unions regretted the strike action following its effects on
parents and students but they (unions) had no option than to embark on it. He
called on well-meaning Nigerians to call on government to accept the proposal
of the unions in order for them to end the industrial action
The
workers, drawn from the universities in the southern part of the country,
displayed placards and marched through the major streets of Akure, the Ondo
State capital, protesting what they described as the insensitivity of
government to their plight.
They
were led by Jimoh; SSANU National Public Relational Officer(PRO), Salaam
Abdussobum; Zonal Secretary, Matthew Eruyen, and Mrs Grace Fadiora.
By
Dayo Johnson, Akure
Vanguard
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